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Dave Ball, one half of the pioneering 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the duo achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a seminal work of electronic music.

He subsequently formed the innovative electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball died peacefully in his rest at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

During that performance, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, after a period of health issues.

"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."

Following catching a lung infection and developing sepsis, he was placed in an induced coma and stayed in hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place emotionally" during the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, called Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the latest project that we actually completed only a short time ago," stated the vocalist in a tribute.

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was all set to be such an uplifting year for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he listened to the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond referred to his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.

"Many thanks Dave for being an immense aspect of my existence and for the songs you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

"Forming a duo with someone is distinct from joining a band, the bond is incredibly close," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming moments as a team. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.

He grew up in Blackpool with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his first name from Paul to David, together with his younger sister his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both studying fine arts. Inspired by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the quiet musician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on a television science show Tomorrow's World, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second most popular single of the early 80s, selling millions of copies worldwide. Together with hits by Gary Numan, Human League and electronic acts, it helped cleared the path for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

The song was also featured on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which spawned two additional high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at the second position in the following year.

Career Highlights

Fame had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my first home, having money and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago told with a publication.

But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could afford newfound drugs to relieve the monotony" of press appearances and television shows, Ball explained.

"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it works for so many bands."

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to create a second classic album - the wayward, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out another album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus on individual endeavors.

Almond went on to have a successful solo career, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After another hiatus, they reappeared in 2018, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on 30 September, that year.

However, they remained active, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

Ball lately described the band's upcoming release as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their initial records.

He noted that his time in medical care had shaped the group's music.

"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on morphine," he told a publication.

"The new songs are a digital reflection of the sounds in my mind from that time.

"In parallel, it's about the experiences we got up to in the 1980s."

The last versions were completed only a short time before Ball died. It is scheduled for launch in the spring of 2026.